Biography

Dr Paola Vizcaino holds a PhD in Tourism Studies from the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico (UAEMex) and a MA in Tourism Management and Planning from the University of Alicante (Spain). For her PhD, she investigated women’s processes of empowerment in relation to their work as producers and vendors of handicraft pottery catered to the tourist market in central Mexico. She is currently working on the post-production stage of a documentary that showcases women potters’ experiences in the “Magical Town” of Metepec, Mexico. Her research interests are in the area of gender and tourism, with a particular focus on the Latin American region. Her research interrogates (in)equality, empowerment and tourism policies from a gender perspective. She has expertise and interest in qualitative, participatory and visual methodologies.

Public Engagement & Outreach Activities

To launch the edited collection, Gender Equality and Tourism: Beyond Empowerment, this symposium will debate the ways forward to increase gender equality in the tourism industry. An expert panel from academia, policy and industry will briefly present examples of good practice which will be followed by an audience discussion.